El Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) reported at 06:00 hours on September 24 that Hurricane Odalys remains a Category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, located 1,845 kilometers west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California. Forecasters confirm that the system poses no danger to the national territory as it moves over the Pacific Ocean.
The system is actively following a projected path that will take it away from Mexican shores while interacting with broader atmospheric conditions. While a potential merger with Category 5 Hurricane Polo raised concerns on Wednesday regarding a possible Fujiwhara effect—where two circulating systems alter each other’s trajectories—forecasters indicate that Odalys and Polo continue to move apart. Odalys advances over Pacific waters while Polo stays near the Mexican coastline.
Odalys Track and Projected Weakening Timeline
According to the official tracking data released by the SMN, Odalys will continue to degrade as it travels further away from land. The system is scheduled to weaken through several distinct meteorological phases over the coming days:
September 25: Category 1 hurricane, located 1,450 kilometers west-southwest of Cabo San Lázaro.
September 26: Tropical storm, situated 1,270 kilometers southwest of Punta Eugenia.
September 27: Tropical storm, situated 1,060 kilometers southwest of Punta Eugenia.
September 28: Post-tropical cyclone, situated 945 kilometers southwest of Punta Eugenia.
September 29: Remnant low pressure, situated 960 kilometers southwest of Punta Eugenia.
As the system degrades into a tropical storm, sustained winds will decrease to a range between 63 and 118 kilometers per hour, and its cloud pattern will lose its spiral shape. Upon transitioning into a post-tropical cyclone, the system will lose its characteristic weather-phenomenon properties, acquire a cold core, and present lower risks of intense rainfall and strong winds.
Did You Know? During Wednesday’s tracking, forecasters actively monitored the potential for the Fujiwhara effect, a rare meteorological phenomenon where two separate cyclonic systems begin rotating around a common center of circulation and alter their respective paths.
Regional Weather Impacts Across Mexico
Even though Hurricane Odalys remains distant from the mainland and poses no direct threat, other concurrent weather systems are generating heavy rainfall across multiple regions. The SMN reports that the Mexican monsoon, atmospheric instability, and an upper-level cyclonic circulation will cause very heavy rains in areas of Chihuahua, heavy rains in Sinaloa and Durango, and showers in Baja California, Baja California Sur, and Sonora.
Separate low-pressure channels, upper-level atmospheric instability, and tropical wave number 41 are producing intense, specific rains in regions of Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Tabasco.
Frequently Asked Questions
What category is Hurricane Odalys currently maintaining?
According to the SMN report at 06:00 hours on September 24, Odalys is a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Does Hurricane Odalys pose a danger to Mexico?
No. Forecasters state that the system does not represent a danger to the national territory and is maintaining a trajectory that keeps it distant from the coast.
What weather systems are causing heavy rainfall across parts of the country?
The SMN attributes the heavy rains and showers to the Mexican monsoon, atmospheric instability, upper-level cyclonic circulations, low-pressure channels, and tropical wave number 41.